Portland International Rose Test Garden

I was excited about seeing the Portland International Rose Test Garden and it did not disappoint. The roses were absolutely stunning! I've never seen blooms the size they were - I'm not sure what they feed them with but it certainly works. We visited on a Sunday afternoon and the place was packed. I stopped by again when I revisited the Japanese Garden (they are located right next to each other).

One thing that did surprise me was that I didn't see many old roses being grown in Portland. I guess I was just not looking in the right place. In this garden, I did expect to see mostly hybrid teas.  They were amazing and I wonder how they grow so well since the climate is damp and rainy most of the year - surely powdery mildew is a problem?

The rose garden is perfectly positioned on a bluff overlooking the city. A series of terraces are laid out on the hillside. I love terraces.

 There were a few archways in the garden. The one above is covered with the rose "Dortmund", a rose that I used to grow.

There were also a few pillars. This one is covered with the climbing rose "Eden".

Most of the roses were displayed in generic rose beds but there was one section where they were inter-planted with ferns.

Interesting, right? You would never see this combination in Alabama. If you did try this, the ferns would be burnt toast in no time.

I have some individual rose shots of some interesting varieties that I will share in an upcoming post.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy